5/2/2013

ALIGNING STATE STANDARDS with

RESILIENCY and SWPBIS Or

Making It All Work Together!

ALIGNING STATE STANDARDS with

RESILIENCY and SWPBIS

Presented by: • Dr. Gerald Zahorchak, Superintendent of Greater

Johnstown School District and former PA Secretary of Education. GLZahorchak@GJSD.NET

• Justin Zahorchak, Principal of Westside Elementary School. JZahorchak2@GJSD.NET

• Curt Davis, Certified Lead Facilitator for SWPBIS and former educator. cdavis@acrpkids.org

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5/2/2013

Mission Statement:

• To present a means to build protective factors

and life-long social-emotional capabilities for

every child by helping districts and schools to

align with PDE’s Standards Aligned System

(SAS) and consider the proposed standards for

school climate and interpersonal skills by

creating a framework and strategy for school

climate and interpersonal skills through the

implementation of School-Wide Positive

Behavior and Intervention Support Systems,

Resiliency and other relevant programs.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Know about Standards for Student Interpersonal Skills

and proposed school climate standards.

2. Form a strategy for the implementation and interactivity

of SWPBIS and Resiliency with the Standards.

3. Align SWPBIS and Resiliency with other existing

programs and evaluate which programs are working and

which programs should be discarded.

4. Identify what this means to every child.

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5/2/2013

Which one are you?

The Salesman The Worker

Standards Aligned System

Student Achievement

Standards

Instruction

Assessment

Curriculum framework

Safe & Supportive

Schools

Materials & Resources

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5/2/2013

DEFINITION:

• The Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System (SAS) is a collaborative product of research and good practice that identifies six distinct elements which, if utilized together, will provide schools and districts a common framework for continuous school and district enhancement and improvement. Much research has been conducted as to what makes a great school. There are many intangible components; however, research supports the notion that great schools and school systems tend to have six common elements that ensure student achievement: Clear Standards, Fair Assessments, Curriculum Framework, Instruction, Materials and Resources, and Safe & Supportive Schools.

So we know where we want to go!

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How do we get there?

We create a blueprint, a plan, a framework.

This is the basis for our approach.

School District

School

Classroom

Individual

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Focus on the individual! • What can the school district do for the

school to facilitate a better learningenvironment for the student?

• What can the school building do to facilitate a better learning environment for the student?

• What can the classroom do to facilitate a better learning environment for the student?

• What can be done with each individual student to facilitate a better learning environment for them?

Here is our story

The Greater Johnstown School District is an urban school district with an 80% free and reduced lunch population. The PennsylvaniaYouth Survey (PAYS) showed a high number of single parent households and a feeling of disassociation was prevalent in our student body.

Our superintendent decided that we needed to understand that every student had the capacity improve their lot in life. But, we were a vital cog in that process. Thus came Resiliency!

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We decided to plug into this new idea.

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5/2/2013

Working in harmony to go to a new level. All staff was trained on the concept of Resiliency and what it looked like in our school district, school building and each individual classroom, based on the Resiliency Wheel.

The next step

• Develop and implement a School Wide Positive

Behavior and Intervention Support System into our

elementary schools and grow it into our middle

school and high school.

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5/2/2013

Please note the similarities in this statement and the Resiliency Wheel. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports is an evidence-based, cost-

effective, systems approach for establishing the social culture needed for

schools to be effective learning environments for all students. Positive

Behavior Interventions and Supports eliminates barriers to learning,

creates and maintains a safe and effective learning environment in

schools, and ensures that all students have the social and emotional

skills needed to succeed in school and beyond. Positive Behavior

Interventions and Supports helps schools teach students expected

behaviors and social skills, creates student behavioral health and

academic support systems, and applies data-based decision-making to

discipline, academics, and social/emotional learning. Positive Behavior

Interventions and Supports uses the three-tiered approach of universal

interventions (for all students and settings), secondary interventions (for

students who are at-risk), and tertiary interventions (for individual

students needing specialized assistance).

Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students, Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention: Specialized

Individualized Systems for Students

with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE

INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

SUPPORT

ALL

SOME

FEW

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District Design Strategies

SWPBIS/Resiliency

RTII

Curriculum

Professional Development

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SWPBIS

5/2/2013

If a child isn’t able to swim, we teach them

If a child isn’t able to add, we teach them

If a child isn’t able to read, we teach them

If a child misbehaves, we punish them?

SWPBIS Many teachers indicate that classroom disruptions are

the number one concern in ensuring student

achievement.

Solid National and Statewide research base with

positive results in school discipline, bullying and

academic achievement

Locally we have demonstrated a 28% reduction in

school discipline (handout from data collection)

Key to success of this program - support from

administration and teachers

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SWPBIS

• Clearly defining and teaching a set of behavioral expectations

• Consistently acknowledging and rewarding appropriate behavior

• Constructively addressing problematic behavior

• Effectively using behavior data to assess progress

Making the Connection

• SWPBIS vs Resiliency

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School Wide Expectations Across All

settings

Not just for students, but all people in

schools

Major/Minor Behaviors

Code of Conduct

Setting Clear and Consistent Boundaries

Expectations

See Behavioral Matrix

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Teaching Life Skills

• Expectations across setting explicitly taught to students/staff

• PATHS, Botvin, E.Q curriculum

• Students will learn through the curriculum

• Understanding choices and the pros and cons of each

• Reflection on past decisions and behaviors from which they can learn and grow

• Students will engage in future oriented thinking regarding making healthy decisions

• Staff will offer opportunities for students to make independent decisions

Teaching Life Skills

• We will also nurture the development of self care skills

• School nurses, mental health professionals and

school counselors will discuss self care

strategies and promote self care

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Teaching Life Skills

• Foster a sense of personal responsibility for choices

• Promoting honesty

• Encouraging students to admit and learn from

mistakes

• I-statements

• “I worry about you when you aren’t in class.”

Providing Care and Support

• Building trusting relationships with students and

families

• Adults model honesty and respect

• We keep our word - If you say you’re going to do

it, you need to do it.

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Providing Care and Support • Adults model good listening skills

• Rephrasing what students say to ensure mutual

understanding

• Students should know that we take their concerns

seriously

• Provide validation for students thoughts and feelings

• Example: “I am sorry that you did not make the

team. I know you worked hard for it and that you

are upset.”

Providing Care and Support

Acknowledging Appropriate Behavior

Trojan Hero Tickets - schoolwide

Group

Individual

Token economy

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Set and Communicate High Expectations

• Adults believe in all students

• In a patient and gentle way, we expect more out of

each student with every passing day.

• Students are expected to become active citizens who

care about their schools, neighborhood and community

• Through the curriculum, students are aided in finding

their own hopes, dreams and goals. Teachers support

their progress

• Highlighting individual strengths

Provide Opportunities for Meaningful Engagment

• Empowering students

• Peer Tutoring

• Student led “Parent/Teacher Conferences” -

encourages responsibility for academic and

school performance

• Student surveys of school and community

environments

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Providing Opportunities for Meaningful Participation

• Student Ownership of School and Classroom

• Classroom Chores and Roles - “We’re all in this

together”

• Student Government and Kiwanis Clubs -

Development of district and school traditions

Providing Opportunities for Meaningful Engagement

• Encouragement of Community Involvement

• Creation of outdoor classrooms

• Community Garden Project and Co-Op Store

• Trojan Family Christmas

• Literacy Nights

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Increase Pro-Social Involvement

• Positive Teacher-Student Relationships - 4:1

Positive:Correction

• Individual Realationships - “Every Child By Name”

• School Traditions - Dances - Student Groups - Class

Meetings - Show and Tell

• Peer Tutoring - Classroom Team Building Activities -

• Avoiding Comparisons - “Why can’t you keep your desk

clean like Jerry”

• Adults as Models

The Building Blocks of

Success

A Sound Basic Philosophy!

RESILIENCY

A Blueprint for Implementation!

SWPBIS

A Method of Measurement!

Staff Training and Buy In!

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5/2/2013

Thank you for all that you do, day in and day out, to support your schools, students, and

families

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